King James Version

Psalms 89:48

What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.

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Hebrew

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In the Hebrew text this line is Psalms 89:49.

מִ֤יmiwhoמִיparticle, interrogative — “who”H4310who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffixany (man), [idiom] he, [idiom] him, [phrase] O that! what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), [phrase] would to God.גֶ֣בֶרgevermanגֶּבֶרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “man”, the ordinary formH1397properly, a valiant man or warrior; generally, a person simplyevery one, man, [idiom] mighty.יִֽ֭חְיֶהyichyehliveחָיָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “live”, an unfinished actionH2421to live, whether literally or figuratively; causatively, to revivekeep (leave, make) alive, [idiom] certainly, give (promise) life, (let, suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken, recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, ([idiom] God) save (alive, life, lives), [idiom] surely, be whole.וְלֹ֣אveloand no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…יִרְאֶהyirehseeרָאָהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “see”, an unfinished actionH7200to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), m…מָּ֑וֶתmavetdeadמָוֶתnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “dead”, the ordinary formH4194death (natural or violent); concretely, the dead, their place or state (hades); figuratively, pestilence, ruin(be) dead(-ly), death, die(-d).יְמַלֵּ֨טyemaletescapeמָלַטverb, piel, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “escape”, an unfinished actionH4422properly, to be smooth, i.e. (by implication) to escape (as if by slipperiness); causatively, to release or rescue; specifically, to bring forth young, emit sparksdeliver (self), escape, lay, leap out, let alone, let go, preserve, save, [idiom] speedily, [idiom] surely.נַפְשׁ֖וֹnafshvocreatureנֶפֶשׁnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “creature”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5315properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally,…מִיַּדmiyadfrom handיָדpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “from hand”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3027a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, […שְׁא֣וֹלsheolgraveשְׁאוֹלnoun, proper name — “grave”H7585Hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranean retreat), including its accessories and inmatesgrave, hell, pit.סֶֽלָהselahSelahסֶלָהparticle, interjection — “Selah”H5542suspension (of music), i.e. pauseSelah.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(89-49) What man is he that liveth and shall not see death, that shall deliver his soul from the power of the grave? Selah

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

What man is he that shall live and not see death, That shall deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? [Selah

Young’s Literal Translation

Who [is] the man that liveth, and doth not see death? He delivereth his soul from the hand of Sheol. Selah.

World English Bible

What man is he who shall live and not see death, who shall deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah.

Darby Translation

What man liveth, and shall not see death? Shall he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

(89-49) What man is he that liveth and shall not see death, that shall deliver his soul from the power of the grave? Selah

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

What man is there who shall live, and not see death? shall any one deliver his soul from the hand of Hades? Pause.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Τίς ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος, ὃς ζήσεται καὶ οὐκ ὄψεται θάνατον; ῥύσεται τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἐκ χειρὸς ᾅδου; διάψαλμα.